New book paints bad picture of Buffett

Jahfin · Post by **Jahfin** » March 24, 2006 3:55 pm

I'm not for a book that outright slams Buffett (or anyone for that matter) but I wonder how a "fluff" book would be received. Personally I'd rather read something that was based entirely on facts (well, as much as possible) than something that heaped nothing but praise on the person the book was about.

Quiet and Shy · Post by **Quiet and Shy** » March 24, 2006 4:00 pm

Jahfin wrote:Didn't Buffett put the brakes on a similar unauthorized biography a few years back?

He tried. He wrote the author a letter asking him not to write it because he wanted to write his own autobiography. In the letter Jimmy dared the guy that if he did write the book to publish the objecting letter as the book's foreword...which is what happened. I haven't read the book but I glanced at it in a bookstore and read the foreword.

As far as the new rumored book goes, it's that freedom of speech deal. As an employer I'd expect Jimmy has high standards and expectations as well as the final say, which isn't a fit for everyone. Given that, he can't be all bad as there seem to be a lot of folks both on and off stage that have worked for him for a long time.

Quiet and Shy · Post by **Quiet and Shy** » March 24, 2006 4:05 pm

bravedave wrote:
Margaret Thatcher wrote:"Consensus is the absence of leadership."
I have never heard anything so f***ing arrogant in my entire life.
If you think you're qualified to be a leader, you must have the skills to persuade, not just railroad.

She always was a world-class p****.

Bravedave, you might be interpreting this a bit too literally.

I worked in a concensus organization for a number of years and can understand exactly what she means with those words...consensus can be used ad nauseum to cover for a lack of leadership....

Steamrolling isn't the only alternative.

Desdamona · Post by **Desdamona** » March 24, 2006 4:17 pm

Quiet and Shy wrote:
Jahfin wrote:Didn't Buffett put the brakes on a similar unauthorized biography a few years back?
He tried. He wrote the author a letter asking him not to write it because he wanted to write his own autobiography. In the letter Jimmy dared the guy that if he did write the book to publish the objecting letter as the book's foreword...which is what happened. I haven't read the book but I glanced at it in a bookstore and read the foreword.

The Man from Margaritaville Revealed reads a lot like an encyclopedia,
but if you want a tedious look at JB & the music industry, it makes a good
reference. (Also includes a lot of random "facts" like where JB and Margie
got married, etc...)

ches4me · Post by **ches4me** » March 24, 2006 5:04 pm

SmartWomaninShortSkirt wrote:I forget if I heard it on BN or somewhere else, but I heard Jimmy is VERY particular about the details of his products and his shows. His name is attached to everything and he cares very much about quality. In ensuring that quality, he undoubtedly has to remind his employees of his standards. THEIR names and repuatations are not at stake. I'm sure that sometimes he is less than patient in dealing with his employees. Also, that putting together a tour, the act of touring, writing songs, recording, writing books, etc., etc., can be HIGHLY stressful, and so he might not always be 100% polite. Most human beings WILL lose their tempers when stressed and tired.

I work for an employer whose name is synonymous with very high quality. They are obsessed with maintaining that reputation. We all know what is expected of us. If we fall short, sometimes we are reprimanded. Sometimes in a nice way, sometimes in a nasty way. We s**k it up because we reap many benefits that come with working with a highly reputable employer. People who don't like it leave.

Jimmy has worked darn hard to get to where he is. Don't forget he's had times both poor and in a mind-altered haze. He struggled for a bit to get where he is. He is proud of that achievement and it's his right to protect his reputation, even if it means being hard on employees.

My $0.02

very well said!

hawkeye315 · Post by **hawkeye315** » March 24, 2006 5:25 pm

Who on this planet does not have one person they know that they didnt get along with? One person that didnt like me? or I didnt like them? A book talking about how nice JB is, wouldnt sell as well as the book we are speaking of.

warmsugar · Post by **warmsugar** » March 24, 2006 5:58 pm

I won't even read the book. I enjoy what JB has to offer us fans. Since I don't work for him...or live with him...I'll not be able to speculate either.
It will be funny to see who reads the book not knowing Jimmy, but will believe what they read!!

jonesbeach10 · Post by **jonesbeach10** » March 24, 2006 6:00 pm

If by the grace of God that somehow I landed a job maybe on Stage Crew with Jimmy, I would never go expecting it to be all "hammock between two palm trees" working with him. He wants things done right and as being the successful entrepreneur (sp?) he is, I'm sure it isn't all a bed of roses. I guess that it doesn't jive with everybody.

krusin1 · Post by **krusin1** » March 24, 2006 7:59 pm

Quiet and Shy wrote:
bravedave wrote:
Margaret Thatcher wrote:"Consensus is the absence of leadership."
I have never heard anything so f***ing arrogant in my entire life.
If you think you're qualified to be a leader, you must have the skills to persuade, not just railroad.

She always was a world-class p****.
Bravedave, you might be interpreting this a bit too literally.

I worked in a concensus organization for a number of years and can understand exactly what she means with those words...consensus can be used ad nauseum to cover for a lack of leadership.... Steamrolling isn't the only alternative.

Bingo.

Consensus too often ends up being a result that offends everyone the least, but that no one is excited or enthusiastic about.

Case in point would be a lot of GM cars from the late 80s, early 90's. They "focus grouped" those things to death, and ended up with the lowest common denominator - I can't recall any GM car from 88-98 or so that really caught my interest. In more recent years, the PT Cruiser, new Chrysler 300, and new Mustang are hits (I know - none are from GM, but they are popular, and I still can't think of a GM car that's a hit), and none of them were developed through that kind of consensus.

From another perspective... looking back through history, you don't remember a lot of leaders who got things done by achieving consensus. (Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, FDR, Churchill, Truman, JFK, Reagan, Patton, Gandhi, on and on and on.) They had a vision, and an ability to get things done, that drew people to them.

Actually, I can't recall ANY good consensus-type leaders.

Tequila Revenge · Post by **Tequila Revenge** » March 24, 2006 8:33 pm

Concerts
Music
Restaurants
Recording Studio
Movie Producer
Liquor Business
Foot wear
Clothing Line
Food Products

I bet I forgot something, but a man RESPONSIBLE for maintaining the BRAND IMAGE of a business as diverse as this had better have the balls to p*** of not only a few employees, but his competitors too!

p.s. Jimmy, if you read this TR would love to start the Jimmy Buffett fly rod company with you. Really, you’ll add lot’s of $$$$ to your already humongous fortune.

SchoonerWharf · Post by **SchoonerWharf** » March 24, 2006 8:43 pm

The individuals who try to capitalize on his name, his reputation, or exploite any unappealing character traits that he may or may not have should be prohitted from publishing material. Writing a book of that nature isn't freedom of speach, it is invasion of privacy.

That right there might be the single scariest thing I have ever read on here. It also somewhat ironic that censorship is advocated for fans of a man who wrote songs dealing with....fill in the blank.

As most have said, I am sure it can be tough working for Jimmy or anyone else in his situation. I am sure a lot of your bosses are thrilled to read how accepting you are of being treated that way...lol.

But I will also tell you this...me and my last and final employer left on bad terms. I was a vcery disgruntled employee....but that didn't mean I didn't know where all the skeeltons were buried in that office. Disgruntled does not equal someone who isn't speaking the turth I assure you.

As for this rumored book, who knows, no one even knows if it exists. I am sure Mr. Buffett has many more things to be concerned about.

regalis · Post by **regalis** » March 24, 2006 9:45 pm

I again really don' t understand why someone would read it either. Its bound to be just gossipy crap, you know. I aint no old women living in a shoe who has nothing else to do!

Cliff

Midnight Flyer · Post by **Midnight Flyer** » March 25, 2006 1:40 am

Quiet and Shy wrote:
Jahfin wrote:Didn't Buffett put the brakes on a similar unauthorized biography a few years back?
He tried. He wrote the author a letter asking him not to write it because he wanted to write his own autobiography. In the letter Jimmy dared the guy that if he did write the book to publish the objecting letter as the book's foreword...which is what happened. I haven't read the book but I glanced at it in a bookstore and read the foreword.

As far as the new rumored book goes, it's that freedom of speech deal. As an employer I'd expect Jimmy has high standards and expectations as well as the final say, which isn't a fit for everyone. Given that, he can't be all bad as there seem to be a lot of folks both on and off stage that have worked for him for a long time.

I too saw the book in the book store and just glanced through it. Figured it couldn't be very factual since one of the first pictures was of Jimmy performing in "Irving" California!

I figured if the author couldn't get the city of Irvine correct in the first few pages the rest of the book was probably crap.

I also remember that in the letter to the author Jimmy said that if he didn't publish it he would be glad to meet him and buy him a beer sometime but if he did publish it he would never hear from him again.

Soraya · Post by **Soraya** » March 25, 2006 1:46 am

You know...I've long heard that JB can be a real jerk at times.....he doesn't seem to deny it...and Gods know that we all have such moments. (I know he p*** off the morning DJs, Bob and Tom, some years back I'd love to know why....lol)....

...but that doesn't change a darn thing about my liking his music...and in someway wanting to be the like the 'myth of jb' when I grow up...hell, wouldn't we all.

I've not heard that he harms children, drowns kittens, kicks puppies or rapes 90 year old women....just about anything else is a matter of perspective.

Or in the words of my husband....'He's happy, who the hell am I' (not spoken about JB ...but his standard answer for anyone accused of being an a**hole.)

RinglingRingling · Post by **RinglingRingling** » March 25, 2006 6:18 am

Soraya wrote:You know...I've long heard that JB can be a real jerk at times.....he doesn't seem to deny it...and Gods know that we all have such moments. (I know he p*** off the morning DJs, Bob and Tom, some years back I'd love to know why....lol)....

...but that doesn't change a darn thing about my liking his music...and in someway wanting to be the like the 'myth of jb' when I grow up...hell, wouldn't we all.

I've not heard that he harms children, drowns kittens, kicks puppies or rapes 90 year old women....just about anything else is a matter of perspective.

Or in the words of my husband....'He's happy, who the hell am I' (not spoken about JB ...but his standard answer for anyone accused of being an a**hole.)

I had not heard the "torquin' off the Friggamall Ind. folks" story. I had heard that he had torqued off another Hoosier when they decided to get into a game of "who's got the bigger pen1$". Jimmy won, tho DL supposedly owns the land under Autour du Rocher now out of spite for that loss...

big hat carmen · Post by **big hat carmen** » March 25, 2006 7:34 am

jbfins wrote:Personally, I think that JB is more messed up in the head than most people. But that is his business, not mine, and it should not be anyone elses. Well I guess except for his shrink.

The down and dirty definition of a mental disorder is that it interferes with your "normal" functioning in life. So therefore, Jimmy is far from messed up.

landlocked_pirate · Post by **landlocked_pirate** » March 25, 2006 11:25 am

You can read about anything about anybody if you look for the right book, post, or blog. Books about famous people are like news. Remember the Eagles hit "Dirty laundry"? The sad part is that there are so many people who will believe anything out in print.
As for what kind of boss he is or is not, look at all the musicians, athletes and celebrities in general who have not managed their resources well and ended up down and out. If he is sharp in his dealings financially, he will have succeeded in the business world as well as the music industry, and we all have read the tales of those worlds' toughness to survive.

Quiet and Shy · Post by **Quiet and Shy** » March 25, 2006 11:33 am

landlocked_pirate wrote:You can read about anything about anybody if you look for the right book, post, or blog. Books about famous people are like news. Remember the Eagles hit "Dirty laundry"? The sad part is that there are so many people who will believe anything out in print.
As for what kind of boss he is or is not, look at all the musicians, athletes and celebrities in general who have not managed their resources well and ended up down and out. If he is sharp in his dealings financially, he will have succeeded in the business world as well as the music industry, and we all have read the tales of those worlds' toughness to survive.

You mean the National Enquirer isn't real???

Elrod · Post by **Elrod** » March 25, 2006 11:48 am

Quiet and Shy wrote:You mean the National Enquirer isn't real???

It's not?

At least I can count on the Easter Bunny's annual visit next month!

Shaputis · Post by **Shaputis** » March 25, 2006 12:23 pm

I love the fly rod idea -- Jimmy needs more boats and fishin' in his merchandise. I hear he's having a boat built up here in the Northwest. Come enjoy the salmon, Jimmy, and ignore the disguntled.